![\"Haywood](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Screenshot-2024-07-08-120611-1024x584.png\")
The Miami Heat rushed the Haywood Highsmith trade to the Brooklyn Nets. (Megan Briggs\/Getty Images) <\/p>\nThe Miami Heat rushed the Haywood Highsmith trade to the Brooklyn Nets. (Megan Briggs\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n
Earlier this month, the Miami Heat traded Haywood Highsmith to the Brooklyn Nets to get under the luxury tax. The Nets are the only team in the NBA with remaining cap space, so they did not have to send back any salary to execute the trade. However, it did come at the expense of the Heat\u2019s 2032 second-round pick for a top-55 protected 2026 second-rounder that won\u2019t convey.<\/p>\n
Highsmith, 28, recently underwent meniscus surgery that was expected to keep him out for two months. But the Heat felt it was necessary to trade him now instead of toward the deadline \u2014 where the opportunity of salary dumping him for nothing may not have arose.<\/p>\n
But according<\/a> to NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, despite Highsmith\u2019s injury, while a lot can happen over the next six months, the possibility of Brooklyn flipping him for greater value is likely.<\/p>\n \u201cI fully expect, furthermore, that we will be speaking often about Highsmith after Dec. 15,\u201d Fischer wrote <\/a>Thursday. \u201cHe remains immediately trade-eligible as we speak, but that date is the unofficial start to the NBA\u2019s in-season trade frenzy, with the majority of free agents who signed new deals this summer becoming trade-eligible then.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s no secret that his new team has no plans to be competitive this season. Brooklyn will continue to operate as a salary-dumping destination and\/or three-team trade facilitator in hopes of stockpiling more draft capital. And Brooklyn\u2019s phone certainly figures to ring with interest in Highsmith, who has shown strong 3-and-D potential when healthy and already possesses some valuable postseason experience. The 28-year-old is also crucially scheduled to earn a modest $5.6 million this season, which would make him a comfortable addition for a contender in need of such attributes \u2026 provided Highsmith plays well as a Net.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an inviting salary figure that should attract no shortage of calls.\u201d<\/p>\n The Miami Heat rushed the Haywood Highsmith trade:<\/p>\n I said it at the time: It\u2019s pretty bonkers that Miami traded Highsmith, who\u2019s on an expiring $5.6 million deal, at his lowest value while lighting a match toward their second-to-last second-round pick when they didn\u2019t need to get under the tax until April.<\/p>\n According to Five Reasons Sports\u2019 Ethan Skolnick, the deal wasn\u2019t done quickly<\/a>. No team was offering draft capital for the Heat. And by the time Highsmith was hurt, Brooklyn was the only suitor knocking on the door. Though they reportedly told Miami that they \u201chad other plans\u201d if no deal was done now.<\/p>\n I still find it hard to believe that Miami wouldn\u2019t have been able to find a trade partner in January or February to get below the tax. They were only $1.6 million above the tax before the trade. Are we sure there would\u2019ve been no trade available? Are we sure they couldn\u2019t have trimmed $2 million off the books without burning a second-round pick? <\/p>\n It\u2019s clear the Heat didn\u2019t want anything in return \u2014 for reasons that remain unclear. You can still get below the tax without 1.) taking a ton of salary back and 2.) burning assets in order to do so for a player who\u2019s injured. <\/p>\n There are also 18 active trade exceptions<\/a> that he would\u2019ve fit into \u2014 including eight that would\u2019ve been active post-Jan. 1. Not all of those teams may be looking to add salary. But, once again, I find it hard to believe that deal would not have been able to be made. It wouldn\u2019t have to just be for him \u2014 it could\u2019ve been for any of the other 12 players on roster (excluding Bam Adebayo).<\/p>\n Highsmith is inevitably going to get more playing time for the Nets. That changes some of the calculus on what his value may be at the deadline. But an opening day rotation won\u2019t be the same on a night-to-night basis. <\/p>\n Ultimately, the Heat rushed this, and I think it was a clear asset mismanagement \u2014 even though, on paper, a Haywood Highsmith trade may not look like one.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n To check out our other content, click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter\/X\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Subscribe to our YouTube channel\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n \t\t\t